Car-coupling



{ (No Model) y 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

B. H. DOWNER 81; G. A. BEACH.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 311,730. Patented Feb. 3, 1885,

VII/A a a x g x 7 e W e v e 1A -ele" 1 ATTE5T .INVENTUR MQLQL- UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN H. DOVVNER, OF BUFFALO, AND CHARLES A. BEACH, OF ALBANY,

' NEW YORK.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 311,730, dated February3, 1885.

Application filed August 15, 1884. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that we, BENJAMIN H. DOWNER,

bany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented newand useful Improvements in Oar-Couplings, of which the following, takenin connection with the accom panying drawings, is a full, clear, andexact description.

This invention relates to that class of carcouplingsin which hooksconnected to the ends of the cars are arranged to interlock with eachother. Heretofore said coupling-hooks were arranged in a horizontalplane, so as to project from the side of the coupling-bar, and thelatter was arranged to vibrate laterally or sidewise. Such couplings,however, are defective and objectionable in several respects-via, thepivotal connection of the coupling bar or hook with the car does notpossess the required stability and durability; to effect the automaticcoupling of the hooks requires heavy springs to resist the side thrustof the hooks, and in case one of said springs is broken the utility ofthe coupling is destroyed. Furthermore, coupling-hooks which aredisposed in a horizontal plane and interlock sidewise are liable to bethrown out of engagement by a sudden side sway or lurch of the car, andaside from these defects such car-couplers are complicated andexpensive.

The object of this invention is to provide an automatic car-couplingwhich shall be simple and comparatively inexpensive in construc tion,efficient, safe, and durable in'operation, capable of coupling cars ofdifferent heights, and possess the requisite strength for resisting thestrain it is subjected to, and also the convenience of readily removingthe coupling-bar from the draw-bar, when desired, for repairs andrenewal or exchange for others; and the invention consists in the novelconstruction and combination of parts, as hereinafter fully explained,and specifically set forth in the claims.

Figures I and 1 are longitudinal sections of our improved car-coupling,showing the same in an uncoupled and a coupled position and with thedraw-bar in line with each other.

Figs. I and II are side views of the same, illustrating its capabilityfor coupling cars of dif ferent heights. Fig. III is a plan view of oneof the draw-bars provided with our coupling. Fig. IV is an end View.Fig. Visa. detached isometric view of the coupling-bar, and Fig. VI isan isometric view of a modification of the coupling-bar adapted to beused in con nection with the ordinary coupling link and pm.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents the draw-bar or bumper, connected to the car in anysuitable and wellknown manner. The outer end or head of the draw-bar isformed with two vertical jaws, B B, which have on their inner sidevertical grooves a a, closed at their lower end by a stop, b.

C denotes the coupling-bar, formed with hooks a n, which are disposed ina vertical plane, and preferably harpoon-shaped. The sides of thecoupling-bar are provided with cheek-pieces 0 c, fitted to slide in thegrooves a a of the jaws B B. The coupling-bar thus has a secure hold onthe draw-bar, and while braced in a horizontal position, so as toeffectually prevent vertical oscillation of said couplingbar, at thesame time is allowed .to slide freely vertically to accommodate itselfto the eleva- 8o tion of the coupling-bar of the approaching car to becoupled.

In the operation of coupling the cars the hook end of one couplingbarslides over the top of the beveled end of the other couplingbar, and-isthus lifted until the hooked portions or a thereof become interlocked,as illustrated in Fig. II of the drawings, in which position they areretained by the gravity of the overlying coupling-bar.

In order to make ample allowance for the variations in the heights ofthe cars we make the projections of the cheek-pieces 0 above and belowthe coupling-bar of unequal heights, so

that by reversing the coupling-bar in its con- 5 nection with thedraw-bar the former becomes supported at a greater or less elevation,and thus adapted to couple with the coupling-bar of a car of greater orless height.

To guard against the thrust of the coupling- ICC) bar out of thedraw-bar we secure to the top of the draw-bar a spring-plate, s, whichhas its free end extending o\-'er t he coupling-bar, and in order toadmit of removing the coupling-bar from the draw-bar when required wefasten the spring-plate slby bolts 0, passing through a longitudinalslot, d, in the springplate, so that by loosening the: bolt said platecan be shifted to liberate the couplingbar.

To the top of the coupling-bar we attach a. yoke, f, and the latter weconnect with a lever, L, pivoted on the end of the car, asshownin Fig.IV of the drawings, by means of which lever the coupling-bar can belifted to effect the uncoupling. Said lever is extended across the car,so as to be accessible from either side of the car, and thus obviate thenecessity of thetrain-man enteringbetween the cars,

When it becomes necessary to use our improved car-coupling in connectionwith the ordinary coupling pin and link, we substitute lor thehar'poonshaped coupling-bar a perforated plate provided with thecheek-pieces c c, as illustrated in Fig. VI of the drawings.

We do not claim, broadly, a car-coupling composed of interlockingcoupling-hooks, as we are aware the same is not' new; but

We do claim specifically as our improvements- 1. The combination, withthe draw-bar or bumper, of a coupling-hookdisposed in avertical plane,and connected with the draw-bar to slide vertically thereon, and bracedin a horizontal position, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination ofthe draw-bar provided with vertical grooves and thecoupling-hook disposed in avertical plane, as shown, provided withcheek-pieces adapted to slide in said grooves, substantially as setforth.

3. The combination oi'the draw-bar provided with vertical grooves, thecoupling-bar formed with cheek-pieces adapted to slide in said Iling-bar G, formed with cheek-pieces c, fitted movably in the grooves a,said coupling-bar having harpoon-shaped coupling-hooks standing in avertical plane, and the spring 8, se-

cured to thetop of the draw-bar, and having its free end extended overthe space between thejaws B B, substautiallyas described and shown. V fr 5. In combination witl the draw-bar A.provided with the vertical-jawsB B, and the coupling-hook C, sliding vertically between said jaws, thespring 8, applied to the top of the draw-bar, and provided with the slot(1, and the bolt-e, passing through said slot, whereby the spring can beshifted to release the coupling-hook, substantially as set forth.

In testimony wher eot, we have hereunto signed our names andfaffixed ourseals, in the presence of two attesting witnesses, at Buffalo andSyracuse, respectively. in the counties of Erie and Onondaga, in theState of New York, this 24th day of July, 1884, and this 29th day ofJuly. 1884.

BENJAMIN H. DOWVNER. [L8,]- GHARLES A. BEACH. [L. s]

W'itnesses for Benjamin H. Downer:

\VM. 0. RAYMOND, N. Or'rnnor. \Vitnesses for Charles A. Beach:

F. H. GIBBs, Gno. H. Wants.

